Love is Near
by g-peachy-chan
Summary: Xion's left devastated thanks to her ex-boyfriend. And it doesn't help much when he keeps on hurting her. However, when she meets a new friend, she manages to keep an optimistic view. RoxasxXion. AU. Slightly SoraxKairi, RikuxXion. Valentine's Day special


**Oh yeah, I am back with a new story! -cheers-**

**I chose RoxasxXion because for me it is just simpy adorable. ^_^**

**I would like to dedicate this story to SavedForever, because she is an awesome friend just like that. And of course- to you, my amazing readers! :D**

**Sorry if it seemed kind of rushed, or if it has spelling mistakes. Only three days ago I had realized that Valentine's Day is this Sunday, and I really wanted something to publish on that day. Oh, and I know it came out quite long, and maybe some would prefer if I had posted it in chapters, but I really wanted to make it a one-shot. Just so you know.**

**Kingdom Hearts/Caribou Coffee/any other affiliates does not belong to me. Have fun! ^.~  
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* * *

"How about this one?" Kairi questioned with a smile on her face.

"Tsk." I shook my head and smiled warmly at Kairi's attention, though it didn't go too well so far.

"Umm…" Kairi squeezed her lips into a tight ball, and was deep in thought.

I sighed and looked up to the building's tall ceiling. People passed by us, all trying to get to their targets as fast as they can. They never stopped to look around them; all of them are sure about what they want, and nothing can stop them from getting it. A kid is running ahead of his mother, to get faster to the Toy-Store, for no obvious reason. It is not like the shop would suddenly take off to somewhere else, and prevent from the vivid audience to get in, right? In addition, what about the woman who looks in the middle of her twenties? She held her suitcase and walked in hurried paces, making her gray skirt tighten around her thigh, so it was probably harder for her to walk in bigger steps. As the woman continued to walk, I noticed that she was holding a phone and moved her lips rather quickly. She also moved her hands around, trying to emphasize her true meaning to the one she talks with. Can't she take a break, sit on a bench and settle her breath?

However, what really caught my eye was the young couple which walked hand by hand. You could see by how the boy looked at his female partner that he likes her a lot. And with the wide smile she was wearing, it was easy to read that the guy means a lot to her. She was pulling herself closer to him, and he —almost immediately—wrapped his arm around her waist. The brown haired girl let out a fresh giggle, and as a result, the boy grinned; happy that he could get this kind of innocent expression from his love.

One thing bothered me, though. Why would they walk so fast? Can't they just stop to take their time? It's not like they would be together every minute of a day, so why won't they just enjoy it as long as they can? In my opinion, they should appreciate what they have; they have _each_ _other_! They need to take their lives slowly and relax, instead of running around the clock like a dog who tries to get its tail. Can't they see that love is the most joyful thing they have? Why would they want to…Ruin it?

I closed my eyes and felt my head spin around, and around. I opened them slowly, in hope that my eyes will not trick me, but I found myself disappointed. Everything felt unstable and fragile, and those same persons who were walking fast took the appearance of blurry shadows that ran quickly; they are coming and leaving non-stop.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, and tried to ignore as hard as I could the nausea I felt.

"Xion?" Kairi's soft voice echoed in my ears, and I instantly opened my eyes. I turned to look at her and saw her eyebrow rises in concern.

I simply smiled at her and shook my head. "It is nothing."

"Sure?" She wanted to double-check. That was so like Kairi. She always thought of me, and never counted on my first word. She had to find the underlying cause of the things, and get my honest answer.

"Yes, Kairi. I just felt dizzy, that's all." I insured and Kairi smiled softly.

"Let's go to Caribou Coffee, and get you something, okay?" She looked at me with the most honest eyes ever.

I couldn't say 'no' to that, so I just unwillingly nodded my head. Kairi grinned and linked our arms together, as we headed to the coffee shop. Most of our way there I was staring at the floor and let Kairi lead me. When I used to look at the floor while walking, everything seemed to move fast behind me and my steps seemed to be quick and rushed. Therefore, I was quite surprised to see that we arrived rather quickly.

We took our seats next to the wooden table and waited for the waiter to come and take our order. I tapped my fingers nervously on the table, and listened only to the clicky-noise I made. I looked up at Kairi and saw that she was sending a text message to someone —probably Sora—and her fingers were running rapidly across the buttons.

Kairi, who was my best friend since third grade, was dating a great guy named Sora. The two were dating for two years now, and I knew that Kairi couldn't have chosen someone better than him. I was happy that she was pleased with her relationship, which came to such an honored state. Though I was delighted for my best friend, I couldn't deny the fact that I felt jealous. It was a gross thing to say, but that is how I felt, and I could not lie to myself. Kairi had the great luck to find a nice and sweet person like Sora. I wished I would get the luck Kairi had, and find the perfect boy for me, too. I was not ashamed to admit that I needed someone to be there for me, just like Kairi had Sora.

The waiter came just in time before I could get further into the all 'I am alone' pathetic mood. He wore a tag-name with the store's logo on it. I read the name carefully so that he won't think that I was eyeing him closely. But I just couldn't help but stop and read stuff that caught my eyes. It said Arthur Elmira.

"What would you, girls, like to order?" His voice was rasp and it was obvious that he did not really mean to sound nice. He was young, with short black hair, and he just looked like he wanted to get the money and run like Hell. He doodled on his notepad in boredom, as Kairi put a finger on her lip and thought.

"Um, make it… One black coffee and one hot cappuccino."

"Got it." The waited nodded. I wasn't quite sure that he really wrote Kairi's order down. He was about to turn on his heels, but Kairi stopped him.

"Oh, and one pastry. You know… The one with the vanilla inside?"

"Right." The man nodded once again, and turned around. I could see him rolling his eyes. I looked back at Kairi and noticed that she was smiling at me, so I figured that she probably never noticed the boy's bratty move.

"How are you doing, Xion?" She asked in a caring mother tone.

I smiled at her soft and elegant expression. "Okay, I guess. By the way, thank you. For everything you have done for me since…"

"It's okay." She interrupted me when she noticed I couldn't finish. "You are my best friend; that's the least I could do."

Kairi sometimes acted more of a mother than a friend. I am not saying that it was a bad thing, though. In fact, in made me feel protected. The knowledge that I could tell her everything that has been on my mind made me warm and calm inside.

"I am just sad that you couldn't find anything you like…" She pouted childishly.

I giggled and hid my mouth with my hand. "It's okay, silly!"

Kairi chuckled and the waiter came back with our order. Kairi—the coffee lover she is—took the black coffee and immediately took a sip. Then I saw her twisting her look. She tried to get the cup away as fast as possible without spilling it on her skirt.

"What's the ma-?"

I never had to finish, because immediately Kairi opened her mouth wide open and stuck her tongue out. She tried to make wind with her hands by moving them quickly. "Hot, hot, hot!"

I laughed at her ridiculous behavior. "Kairi! Be careful next time!"

Kairi forced her tongue in. "Yes, thank you. Laugh while I am in pain."

"If that's your pain, then you are doing great."

"Just eat your baked food before I'll punch you. I ordered it for you."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because, _silly_, you said you felt dizzy! You must have been hungry."

"Oh… Right." I forced a smile as I picked it up, but ended up putting it on the plate again. "He loved them."

"Hmm?" Kairi looked at me with the word 'confusion' written all over her forehead.

"Riku. He loved those baked-cookies. We used to hang out here a lot before he… Broke up with me."

I could feel the water gathering in my eyelids. My nose tickled and I was afraid to speak. I knew that my voice would crack, and I will end up crying.

"Xion…"

Surprisingly, I faced Kairi. That was a mistake, because the moment I moved my gaze, the water strolled down my cheeks. I sniffed and wiped the tears away with my thumb. "I am okay." I said weakly.

Kairi sighed. "No, you are not."

"No, really! I am." I smiled and hid my face behind my hands for a few seconds. Then I showed my face again and took a deep breath. "If Riku chose to leave me, that's okay with me."

"W-What?" Kairi widened her eyes. Obviously, after I've been crying for two weeks, my comeback surprised her. "I thought that you…"

"When I was a kid I promised myself to never let a fool break my heart. And he was a fool to hurt me this way. I am tired of crying over him, really. I can't make him stay with me, now can I…?" I nodded my head slowly, agreeing with my own theory.

Kairi's wide-open mouth quickly changed to a huge grin. "Finally you have come to this realization!" She pushed her chair backward and ran to give me a hug, while I still sat on my chair.

"Ow!" I was caught off guard, but I still laughed and hugged her back. Kairi joined to my fist of laughter, and I am pretty sure that some eyes were strangely staring at us; I cared less.

"You know what, Kai? Maybe he is just not the right guy!" I said with the biggest smile I had in the past few weeks. "Everything went well for _me_, but if he decided to end our relationship—fine with me!"

"Yes! Wow… I can't believe that you suddenly got it! Could it possibly be that our trip to the mall really helped?" She raised an eyebrow and waited for a suitable answer.

I chuckled. "Kairi… It is all thanks to you."

"Yay!" Kairi clapped her hands like a little child and wrapped her arms around me again.

**X~x~X**

"_Xion?_"

"Yes, Kairi?"

"_Umm, could you do me a favor?_"

I sat up straight on my bed and pressed the cell phone to my other ear. Kairi's tone of voice was pleading, and I was curious to know what she needed. I could hear water in the background… Was she taking a shower while talking with me?

I titled my head and shooed all those thoughts away. "Sure! What is it?"

I knew that no matter what it would be, I would accept. I couldn't refuse to Kairi's request, no matter what. Especially after she was generous enough to take me to the mall, a month ago, in order to recover from my failed relationship.

I wasn't dating anyone after Riku. I felt happier, and I knew that I almost completely got over him, but I couldn't bring myself to start dating someone after the entire incident. Riku and I were dating only for three months, but it was enough for me to grow to like him. And moving so fast from one to another just didn't seem like the right thing to do.

It did not feel this way either.

In fact, being alone wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. Riku wasn't my first boyfriend, but he definitely took the biggest role from all of them. So I figured that I would feel lonely without him. Luckily, I was proven wrong. I had more time to spend with my family, friends, and with myself. Quality time was something I missed dearly. Also, I could hang out with the girls again, something I couldn't find the time for when I had a boyfriend. I didn't have to try and look perfect every single time, and I just lived for myself.

Now that I think about it, I noticed that my life with a boyfriend seemed miserable. I chuckled at the thought.

"_Xion?_" Kairi asked from the other side of the line.

"Oh. Sorry, Kai. What were you saying?"

"_Oh, right!_" The water stopped and I could hear other noises from the other line. It sounded like fabrics being rubbed by each other. "_Remember that I showed you the jacket Sora bought for me? The one that was bigger than my size?_"

"The one with the pink and yellow stars? Yes, I do. What about it?"

"_Well, Sora called and he said that we can change it now. He has the receipt and all_."

"Okay…" I tried to catch Kairi's point.

I got up of my bed and stretched. I've been trying to take a nap, but I ended up lying in my bed aimlessly for what seemed like 25 minutes. My mind was mostly busy with the exam I had the next day. It was in Math. I was pretty good at Math, but I was delaying my study for the test. I always had this habit to study at the last minute, and still pull off a decent grade. Though I knew that I should not push my luck, I was still as lazy as always.

"_Yeah. So I forgot that jacket in your room. Can you look for it?_"

"Really?" I haven't seen it around…" I looked to every direction in my room while I still held the cell phone.

"_Oh, try to look for a blue bag._" Kairi told me.

"Okay…" I looked around and then I noticed something blue lying at the corner. I walked to there and noticed a bag. To make sure it was _the_ bag, I opened it up and saw Kairi's gray jacket. "Found it!"

"_Oh, thank you, thank you!_" Kairi cheered and I could hear her stroking her wet hair fiercely. I guess she was in a hurry. "_Now, here's the thing…_"

I titled the bag in the air and waited for Kairi's reply. I swear I could hear her gulp.

"_Can_ _you be the sweetest person ever and bring it to DJ Paopu?_"

I raised my eyebrow. Why would she want me to bring it to a _music store_? "I thought it's a cloth… Not a CD." I joked.

Thankfully, Kairi could understand my humor. "_Oh, can't you tell? It's both a jacket __**and**__ a CD!_"

I laughed and put an arm around my waist. "Oh boy, silly me!"

"_Anyway…_" I could still hear Kairi trying to control her laughter. Once she has regained it, I heard her clearly. "_Sora said he would meet me there, and then we'll go and change it._"

"Oh… See?" I giggled. "_That_ makes sense!"

I knew the girl so well, that I could picture her rolling her eyes with a smirk. "_Anyways, I am late already, and I wanted to ask you if you can bring it to me. Because I won't make it on time to your house, and then to the mall. Please? __**Pretty**__ please!_"

"Umm… With sugar on top?" I grinned.

"_You know it!_" Kairi exclaimed.

"You have a deal!"

**X~x~X**

I took a cub and got out of it when I faced the mall. Kairi's blue bag was still in my hand as I entered the building. The security guard pointed to the bag, so I opened it and let him check it. When he finished, he mentioned me to get in.

The smell of perfumes filled the area the moment I stepped in. All different kinds of deodorants, night creams, and other scents reached my nose, and I took a sniff to grab it all at one time. Then, the smell of pizza came to my nose. Oh, I could so imagine the melted cheese in my mouth… I guess I was hungry since I didn't have the time to eat lunch. But once I reached to the area I needed, I couldn't smell anything. All I could hear was music that played from the store I willed to get in to.

I entered DJ Paopu and looked all around. The store was pretty small, but it was one of my favorites. It had most of my favorite bands' CDs in it, and I used to hang out there _a lot_.

Riku loved the store as well. We had almost the identical taste in music, so he was always my partner when I shopped there. I remember how we just used to stand next to the countless amounts of shelves, and just stare at the CDs with silly grins upon ourselves. Actually, only then—when I stood at the entrance —I realized that it has been a while since I was in the shop.

Not many people were in there, but I had to look for Kairi and Sora for some minutes, because all the shelves made it harder to look around. Shortly enough after, I noticed the chocolate, spiky haired friend of mine. I walked over to Sora and saw him searching with his finger a CD. I looked around while I approached him and wondered where Kairi was.

"Hey, Sora." I called for him.

He turned around and once he realized it was me, he smiled. "Hey, Xion! What's up?"

I nodded my head happily. "Where is Kairi?"

"Oh, she isn't here yet." Sora explained. "She called two minutes ago and said that she'll be here soon."

"Oh…" I said and scratched the back of my head.

Sora was still staring at me, and I was staring back at him. It was rather awkward. Sure, Sora was my friend and all, but it was weird being just us together, without Kairi. I guess I had those Girl Codes memorized in my mind. It wasn't very cool to hang out with your friend's boyfriend too much.

"So…" Sora scratched the back of his head as well, as he tried to find a subject to start a conversation.

"So…" I smiled awkwardly.

Sora and I used to talk every once in a while. But we had to find a subject to talk about, and then the rest would just flow. I thought that Sora was very nice, so I also decided that he is a good boyfriend for Kairi. He was sweet and gentle, with a sense of humor, and a melting smile.

Plus, he would never cheat on Kairi, which was a _huge_ plus.

"How are you doing?" He asked me worriedly.

I knew what he meant, so I never bothered to question. "You know, though I am over him, I still think of it… It's just…"

"Hard to forget?" He finished for me, as if finding the words I struggled to find.

"Y-Yeah…" I looked at him and sighed.

"Listen, I am really sorry that things didn't work out between you two." Sora said truthfully, and I could tell it.

I smiled a small smile. "I know. Thanks."

"Sure. And you know what? I know we don't use to talk about it, but now that we do, there is something I was willing to tell you long time now."

Sora was talking fast, and I knew that when he talks this way it means that he is eager to speak his mind. He made me curious, and I slightly opened my mouth.

He took it as a signal to continue. "You are a great girl, Xion! And Riku was an idiot to leave you for _Selphie_! So just forget about that idiot and move _on_!" Sora threw is arms to the air and looked up.

I opened my mouth and looked at him in amazement. "You… You think so?"

Sora brought his gaze down to me and smirked. "I _know_ so. He doesn't worth you; trust me."

The brown haired boy never used to talk to me about these kinds of subjects, so it caught me off guard. Yet, I smiled and even slightly blushed at his words. I was fluttered, and I figured that he is right;

_Riku chose that bimbo over me? Fine! When she breaks his heart, he will feel the same way I felt._

"Thank you." I whispered shyly.

Sora grinned. "Sure. Oh, and is this Kairi's bag?" He looked down at the blue sack.

"Oh, yes. She asked me to bring it to her. I can't believe I got here before her, though…" I pressed a finger against my chin and narrowed my eyes in thought.

Sora chuckled. "Well, you know _Kairi_."

I giggled. "Why, yes. Yes I do."

"Guys!" We both turned around to see Kairi. She came running to us, panting. Once she settled her breath, she looked up and smiled.

"You okay?" Sora asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah." She kissed his cheek. "Oh, Xion, thank you so much!"

I nodded. "It's okay." I handed her the bag, and she opened it to see if the jacket was there.

"Thanks! Anyway, shall we go now, or do you guys want to stay a bit?" Kairi looked to Sora, then to me, and then back at Sora, trying to get from one of us an answer.

"Umm…" I said. Really, that's all I could say. Was I even supposed to be with them? Or should I have just left them to be with each other?

"Nah." Sora took control. I guess he could imagine the smoke coming out of my head as I tried to find an answer. "Let's go already to the shop. Then, we'll go to Intervene Bridge."

Both Kairi and I raised our eyebrows. "Why do we need to go there?"

"Because, Kai, I _told_ you!"

"You... Did?" She blinked. "Oh! Right! You did! Gosh, I can't believe I forgot…" She smacked her head.

"What's going on?" I inquired.

Kairi shook her head ashamedly. "Sora and I are supposed to pick Sora's cousin."

"Cousin?"

"Yes." Sora said. "My cousin is coming to town, and I need to pick him up."

"Is he here for the weekend?" I asked curiously.

"Actually, he wants to move here completely. But he comes for now to check things around, and then he'll decide."

"Oh, I see. Wow. That's pretty cool…" I wasn't sure of what to say, but I had to say _something_ or else my friends would think I just don't care.

"Yeah." Kairi smiled. I guess she already forgot from 'the shame!' "Do you want to come with us? After we get a new jacket, that is." She smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Umm… Sure, why not?" I answered. It was a win-win situation; I had nothing to do at home, so I could still hang out with my friend, _and_ I get to meet the guy! I wasn't that eager but if he moves here, that means he would be with Sora most of the time, who is with Kairi, who is with me! So I will have to meet him _sometime_.

_Better now than later._ I thought to myself.

"W-Wait!" I yelled and Sora and Kairi looked at me with eyes wide open. "Uh… Sorry, but… Can we eat lunch first?" I blushed.

Sora and Kairi looked at me with raised eyebrows, and then we all laughed.

**X~x~X**

So after the guys treated me with a sandwich, we went to change Kairi's cloth. After Kairi got her new one, she gave Sora a big hug, and shortly after we headed to Intervene Bridge. It was this road in front of the train station, and there we had to meet Sora's cousin, who appeared to answer the name Roxas. The bridge that headed to the train station was quite long, and it got its name because he connected between three big cities around the area; Destiny Islands—where we lived, Hollow Bastion—which last year got its name changed to Radiant Gardens, and Twilight Town—that's the place Roxas came from.

We were driving at Sora's car. He was already seventeen so he had his driver's license. Kairi was sitting next to Sora at the front; therefore, I was stuck at the back. I hated sitting there; I preferred so much better the front—where you can see the road, and trust me, it's important for me since I am quite short. The entire ride I couldn't stop thinking about Sora's cousin. Apparently, he would study with us at the same school for now.

I wondered if he is like Sora, which was good. But I still hesitated; I knew that most of the people from Twilight Town are gangs' members and they won't be considered the nicest people ever. I was afraid that Roxas is one like them. Why was I afraid for that guy I didn't know? Because I knew that I'll have to spend some time around him, since he is my friend's cousin, and I really hopped him to be a nice guy, so that being near him would be pleasant for me.

After half an hour of driving, we got there. We couldn't park too close to the station, because it was really packed, so we ended up walking for a few minutes until we got there.

"Okay… Exit 11…" Sora looked for the place where Roxas' train had to stop at. "I think it's on the right…"

We walked down the stairs that were from our right, and got ourselves face to face with exit eleven. And apparently, we made it just in time. I could hear the train coming closer, and Sora was the first one to notice its arrival.

"Oh, look! Can you see it?"

I turned around to where the train was supposed to come from, and narrowed my eyes to get a better look. I managed to see a blurry thing that made its way towards our direction, and after a few seconds the train stopped in front of us. People with suitcases came down; some were leaving immediately the area by themselves, and some accompanied with other people whom they just saw… Probably friends or relatives.

Sora looked from right to left, and back to right again for his cousin. Kairi and I just stood next to him and looked to every direction he did, because we had no idea who that Roxas guy was.

I scratched my arm and sighed. I switched my position a bit since I was getting tired of standing for some minutes now. But then I noticed from the corner of my eye how Sora jumped a bit in surprise.

"Roxas! Over here!" He waved his hands up in the air, so that his cousin could notice him.

There were many people at the direction Sora was pointing, so I couldn't figure which one of them was Roxas. But one guy was walking straight to our direction; he was quite tall with black hair and a gray suitcase in his hand. I wondered if he is the guy, but then decided that no… Because he was walking straight _past_ us.

"Oy, Sora dude!" I noticed a blonde waving back at Sora. The way he talked freaked me; I knew that the gangs like to speak this way and put into every sentence words like 'dude', or 'oy'. As he got closer to us, I noticed that he wasn't tall or short; he was probably the same height as Sora. Actually, their figures were almost identical. His hair was less spiky than Sora's, though, and he had a lighter hair-color. He also had lighter eyes-color than Sora, but yet they looked pretty similar.

He threw his yellow suitcase on the floor, and pulled Sora to a friendly hug, while tapping his back.

Sora broke the hug. "Hey! How was the ride?"

Roxas nodded and wiped his forehead with his hand. "It was okay. Oh?" He cocked his head to the side when he noticed both Kairi and I.

"Oh, right." Sora scratched the back of his head and chuckled, as he noticed Roxas' confusion. "Roxas, I want you to meet Kairi, my girlfriend." He pointed at the crimson-haired girl.

Roxas smiled warmly. "So you are Kairi, huh?" His innocent smile suddenly turned into a smirk. "Sora talks a lot about you."

"Oh… Umm… Hehe." Kairi laughed flattery. I turned to Sora and saw his pink cheeks. I smiled and turned my gaze to Kairi again… They looked so cute!

"R-Right…" Sora said as soon his cheeks finished to burn. "And the girl over there is Xion—a friend of ours."

I didn't know what to do, let alone to say; it seemed like I had lost my voice, and I couldn't make a sound. So instead I just waved to him a small wave and smiled.

He smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Xion."

I was glad he managed to pronounce my name correctly. I mean, most of the guys would take a minute or two to pronounce it the right way, while inventing to me some new names such as 'Kshian', or 'Xigon'.

I was still smiling awkwardly at the teen as I thought; _maybe he is not so bad, after all…_

**X~x~X**

Days turned to a week, and a week had passed since I had met Roxas. I was mad at myself for judging him before knowing him; apparently, he wasn't a bad guy like I had thought. In fact, he was pretty cool and very kind. He had told me that his friends back at Twilight Town are considered 'brats', but they are really nice and never harmed anyone.

I grew to like him, and I liked to spend time with him. Sometimes, even when Sora or Kairi weren't present, we would have talked. It didn't seem awkward at all and I liked to be around him and hear about his life, and the life-style people at Twilight Town had. As more as I talked with him, the more I liked him.

And I hated it.

I was afraid to like him too much, and then when he would leave I would be disappointed. Suffering because of guys wasn't a thing I wanted to repeat on, not after the entire drama Riku had entered to my life.

I knew all along that Riku and Roxas are completely different. Riku was arrogant and thought that he was better than everyone, while Roxas was the friendly, humble type. Still, something felt wrong and I refused to let myself fall for him.

But I knew that there is nothing to do about it.

I couldn't tell Roxas that I do not want to spend time with him; that would be rude, and it could hurt his feelings. However, I was frightened by the thought that maybe my feelings towards him are more than what friends share. Could this be that I really liked him? My heart was still slightly hurt, and the more time I spent with Roxas—the more I thought of _Riku_ and the time I shared with _him_.

Back when I was with Riku, I felt warm and protected, and I thought that he is the one. And look how things had ended between us. That was the exact same way I felt with Roxas, and I was afraid that if we would date, it would end up pretty much the same way. I am saying 'pretty much' because I was almost completely positive that Roxas would not cheat on me and then dump me, like the stupid ex-boyfriend of mine did.

Then again, it's not like I knew Roxas _so_ well.

**X~x~X**

"Xion, what's wrong?" Roxas got his face closer to mine to see my expression.

"N-Nothing…"

I was standing in front of my locker with the note in my hand. Roxas was standing next to me and tried to inquire me what was the matter with me. He was there all along; when I got to my locker, when I opened it, when I picked the green letter that fell from it, when I read it… And when my face fell. I was still staring at the piece of paper that was in my hand, and refused to answer Roxas' question.

"Tsk, come on! Tell me. Look at you; you are as white as snow."

I smiled to show him that I was okay. "I was born white, you know…"

Roxas playfully rolled his eyes. "_More_ than _usual_, Xion!"

"Pfft, whatever…" I rolled my eyes as well, and he pushed my arm childishly. "Hey! Do you not know that it is not polite to hit a girl?" I pretended to sound high and cheesy.

"Oh, yeah, whatever you say, madam."

Roxas and I would always have those cheesy talks and role-plays. I, in fact, enjoyed them. And I knew that Roxas did, too. We knew each other only for two weeks, but it felt more than that. I guess that we were just so similar in our personalities that we immediately clicked. I was glad that we long passed the all awkwardness-part in friendship. That way, we could feel more relaxed and comfortable next to each other.

"Now, come on. Tell me what the matter is."

I shook my head. "Nothing. Now come on, we are late for English class!" I grabbed his arm and ran along with him at the empty hall.

**X~x~X**

English lesson was boring, and I barely paid attention to the teacher. I was still daydreaming about the letter I got. Why did I have to get it _now_ that things were working out for me? I held my head in crisis during the all lesson, and I couldn't stop thinking of what he wrote in the letter. Therefore, the teacher marked me a couple of times; I stopped counting after the fourth time.

Why had he written what he wrote? Did he really mean it? Maybe he was just playing with me, and I was falling right into his hands again? Why would he _suddenly_ write it?

So many questions were popping in my head, and I knew that there is only one way to give them answers.

I checked that the teacher is still facing the board, and then I took the green, little note out of my pocket and read it again, to see if I missed anything;

_Meet me at the science lab after the seventh period._

_I need to talk to you._

_Riku._

My heart raced and I felt my legs shaking under the table. Only reading his name made me shiver again. It had been so long since we talked. I would only see him in the halls with that idiot, Selphie. I knew that the girl was bad news, and that she just likes to play with people's hearts. That way when I think about it, she and Riku aren't so different from each other. Maybe they _were_ the perfect match; hurting each other just for fun. I despised the girl and even though I told myself to relax, I could not stop grimacing when I passed next to her bubble-head.

But now, Riku was sending me this letter, and I would lie if I'd say I wasn't curious to know what he wants to talk about.

_I need to talk to you._

I kept reading that line, seeking for a hiding meaning; nothing. I couldn't see what he meant beyond the words. Does he _need_ to talk to me?

Well… I had to talk with him, too.

That's why after I heard the bell, I quickly packed my stuff. I wanted to get out as fast as I could, but the teacher stopped me.

"Ah, running so fast, Miss Xion?"

"N-No… It's just that…" That what? What could I say? That I need to run and talk with the person who made me suffer so much? Why was I even going? Was I hoping that we would get back to each other? Really, after all the pain I went through because of that idiot?

"Look, Xion. You are a wise girl, but you _cannot_ let yourself float in your own world at my lesson. You know that this is important, don't you?"

"O-Of course, Sir. I promise it won't happen again." I looked to my left and noticed that all the students had already left the room. All except for one.

Roxas was still standing next to his place and watched the scene that happened between Mr. Adams and me.

Mr. Adams scratched his chin and frowned. "I sure do hope so, girl."

When I realized that it was the end of our conversation, I quickly left the room. But then I felt an arm stopping me. I didn't even have to guess who it was.

"Roxas, I am kind of in a hurry."

"Where are you going?"

"Uh… You see…" I searched for the right answers. I saw the curiosity in his eyes, but I knew I couldn't tell him.

In fact, I never told him about Riku, so I guess it would be too long to explain, and I had to go to the science laboratory.

"Xion? What's wrong? You have been acting weird since you got that letter. Is someone bothering you?" He frowned and I could see his eyes glimmering with anger only by the thought that someone might be hurting me. He was so protective next to me and I wondered why.

_Maybe he likes me?_ I asked myself. He and I spent time together, and we got really close to each other. We never talked about us as a couple, but I knew that it wouldn't be so crazy. But I couldn't. I just... Couldn't.

"No, no, no! Of course not!" I shook my head so fast that I felt dizzy. "Listen, I'll talk to you later, okay? Right now I need to go."

"I thought that we are going to Kairi's house together…?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I… I'll come later. Promise."

"Sure?"

I quickly nodded my head and ran up the stairs to the next floor, where the lab was. Once I faced the door, I took a deep breath before twisting the knob and opening it. The lab was dark and I couldn't see anyone there, and then I thought that maybe it is all a prank. I felt my cheeks flush with anger and I was mad.

I was about to turn around and leave, but then I heard a voice. _His_ voice.

"You came…"

Oh boy, I haven't heard his voice for _ages_! It never lost its seductive tone. I looked all around for him, and then I noticed him sitting on the teacher's desk with one leg folded to his chest. He looked so good in this position, and he moved his arm that rested on his folded knee and mentioned me to get closer.

I instantly took a step closer, but then I stopped. Why was I doing this? Why do I keep finding my way towards him when he was the one to end it all up?

_Gosh, Xion, think straight! That boy is a player, nothing else! _I thought to myself, but my legs made another step. I gulped and lifted my left leg to get over to the desk Riku was lying at, but then he stopped me.

"Close the door, okay?"

I turned around and did as he asked me, like a puppet that would obey its owner any-time. Due to the closed door, there was less light, but I already got used to the darkness so I could still see Riku's perfect image. He moved his head, and I took it as another signal to go to him.

This time, I didn't think twice; I immediately went over to the desk. As I stood in front of him, I asked myself, _Uh, now what?_ It was quite awkward standing there after our complicated relationship.

"Why are the lights off?" It was so dumb that I wanted to slap myself. But Riku didn't say a word, so I had to ask _something_.

"I dunno. You are the one to decide."

"What…?" I raised my eyebrow. Why was he always speaking that weirdly? Can't he answer straight for once? He always had to be the smug type…

Riku chuckled and I could feel my legs weaken. "How have you been, Xi?"

Xi… I missed so much for him to call me this way… "Okay." I said and tried to sound cool, but I knew myself that my voice cracked.

Riku shifted his position so that he was sitting regularly on the desk, with his legs almost touching the ground, since he was quite tall. "Xi… I am glad you came."

I could see him smirk. Was he playing with me again?

"Riku… I… I don't understand. What do you want?" I asked harshly.

"Ouch." He pretended to get hurt. "After so long, that is the only thing you can say? No 'how are you?', 'I missed you'… Nothing?"

"Why would I _miss_ you?" I flushed and made a fist. "_You_ were the one to break up with _me_!"

"And I made a mistake." Riku turned his gaze to the floor.

"W-What?" I released the fist and looked at him. _Should I believe him? I know he is a good actor… But… Should I?_

I _wanted_ to. I wanted with all my will for everything to go back the way it was.

Riku took me by my hips and made me sit in his lap. I looked around the shoulder and saw him smiling warmly at me. "Riku?"

"Mmhmm?"

"What…? I don't… Understand."

Riku sighed. "What there is not to understand? I made a mistake, and I want you back."

"Are you serious?"

"Would I ever lie to you?"

"Well, you did cheat on me, so… Yeah…"

"Tsk…" Riku looked up and searched for the right words to pull on me. I guess he decided that words aren't good enough.

He hugged me from behind and kissed me on the cheek. I blushed and got shivers down my spine. His touch was so electrical.

"Xi, I love you." I widened my eyes and froze to listen. "Can you forgive me? Hmm?" He kissed me again, but this time he just left his lips pressed to my pink cheek.

"I… I…" I couldn't say a thing. I liked Riku, but I couldn't forget the things he did to me. He cheated on me, for God's sake! While we were together, he kissed another girl! How can I forgive him for something like that?

"I can, but… Aren't you with Selphie?" It suddenly popped to me.

"Oh man, that's awesome!" Riku jumped off the table, thus I was jumping as well. He faced me and put his arms around my waist. He smiled and brought his lips closer and closer to mine…

He was about to kiss me! My heart raced and I felt this happiness floats me. However, something felt un-even and wrong. Sometimes I hated my pangs of conscience.

Riku and I were about to bring our lips together, but then I stopped him. "I asked you a question; answer."

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I guess I was too happy so I never noticed." He smirked and I narrowed my eyes. Something was still the same about him. I wasn't so positive that he had changed. "What was it, again?"

"Aren't you dating Selphie now? Did you guys break up?" I still had hope inside of me.

"Umm… No."

"No—you are not dating her, or no—you didn't break up with her?"

"Me and Selphie are still together."

That's all I had to hear. "And you _dare_ to kiss me?"

"Wait, Xi…" He looked straight into my eyes—and like a reflex—I calmed down.

I figured that maybe I was getting the wrong intention. "Are you about to break up with her, then?"

"Nope." He was saying it plainly.

My face fell. "Are you kidding me?"

"Listen, Xi… Selphie and I are hot. But… I miss you."

"What are you saying?" I raised my eyebrows.

Riku smiled. "I am saying that I want you."

I tried to add one and one. "And you also want Selphie?"

Riku nodded and grinned. "You got it. Man, I knew that you are different from Selphie; you are smart compared to that idiot." He sighed with relief and pulled me closer to him.

_This is just a dream… It is just a bad, __**bad**__ dream…_ I kept repeating it through my mind. But unfortunately, I knew that this was the reality. How can a person be so stupid and confess that he is playing with _two_ girls? Riku was definitely a player.

I snapped out of my thoughts just as Riku's lips were about to touch mine again. This isn't right, and this time I did not have to think twice before making my move.

I took all of my anger and transformed it into power that was concentrated at my left hand. And in that faithful moment, I slapped Riku as hard as I could.

I looked at Riku's shocked eyes and wide open mouth, and felt pain through my chest. I refused to let him see me this way, but I couldn't do a thing while I cried. The salty water came down my cheeks and watered them all. I looked at Riku and sobbed aimlessly. Could he be any fouler? How could he think that I will accept to be his 'second girl'? Can't he see that I had suffered enough, and that him coming with his pose saying 'wanna date me secretly?' wasn't helping _at all_?

What had happened next was the thing to frighten me, though. Riku had narrowed his eyes and looked at me with pure madness.

"Who the _Hell_ do you think you _are_?" He asked me and I found myself shaking with fear. I had never seen him in this state before and, frankly, I was fearful like I had never ever been.

"I just…" I found the courage from who knows where, and narrowed my eyes. "Who do _you_ think you are? Really, Riku? Really? You thought that I will accept to get back to you after what you did?"

The boy clenched his teeth. "Well, from what I remember, you _did_ accept!"

"Yes, that was before I knew that you are playing with me! _Again_!"

Riku's eyes narrowed more and more, and the moment I thought that they are so narrowed that they were about to get closed, he had opened them fully and smiled; not just any smile, though. It was creepy… Almost insane. I knew that he is up to something, and that he does not get calm just like that.

"Well… It is not my fault that you are worth only for playing."

His words pierced me more than a knife can. My jaw dropped and I couldn't believe that he was actually saying it. That's how he saw me from the moment he met me; as a toy. As a toy to play with… Until it breaks, that is. And the moment this puppet—me—had broken, had just arrived. I regretted and _hated_ myself for accepting the request he wrote me in the letter.

I shook my head as the tears rolled down nonstop. He did not mean it… But I knew he did. All those hugs we shared, the kisses, the laughter… All of it—a big _lie_? And the 'I love you' was a lie, too? He had just said that he loves me! He looked at me—he was _holding_ me—and he had lied just like _that_. It seemed like my life was a fake show. But when does the curtains fall down and the actors stand in a row and bow?

"You… Don't mean it." I refused to believe.

"Really, Xion? Come on, you are a wise girl, but…" He looked at me from head to toe. "You are nothing more than a doll."

"How… How can you be so cruel? How can a person say it? I… I just… Stop!"

"What? Does it hurt hearing the truth?" He grinned. It seemed like he was enjoying it.

"You… You are… J-Just leave me alone!" I ran out of the room, and I could hear Riku snorting before I slammed the door and ran down the hall. I looked at the ground and continued to run as fast as I could. I could not believe that I had actually thought of being with him again. How could I forget that he hurt me so much? I refused to glance at him at the halls; however I accepted his touch… Could I be any stupider?

The tears were flying with the wind, and I heard my own footsteps echoing in the long hallway. I went down the stairs to the third floor, and tripped to the ground at the last step. I lifted myself quickly up, but ended up falling again. I looked at the floor under me and couldn't take the pain anymore. I couldn't take the fact that I am just a toy for someone. I couldn't believe that I never noticed that the guy I once loved had played with me the all along. I couldn't… So I screamed.

I screamed the loudest I could, so that everyone would notice my pain, so that everyone would know that Xion—the human and not the doll—exists. So that everyone would—

I cried. I cried as much as I could. I thought I was over Riku, but then he comes in and spites the truth into my face as if I was some trash.

I knew that sitting on the floor and crying wouldn't help me, so I jumped to my feet and started to run out of the school again. The tears had dried but the pain was still there. All I wanted to do was to go home to my room and cry on the pillow until the tears just won't come down anymore. But then I thought of something better.

Roxas was still there! I couldn't believe but he was standing in front of the school's gate and looked up the sky. I couldn't see too well due to my blurry eyes, but I think he wore a sad expression on his face. I wanted to stop and hide myself, but my legs wouldn't stop running. I knew that I was running too fast, so I can't turn to another direction in order to sneak from Roxas. Instead, I ran directly to his direction. He probably heard my heavy footsteps, so he turned alarmed to my direction and widened his eyes at the sight of me.

I threw myself on him and pushed his body against the wall. I squeezed my eyes shut and just hid my face deep in his chest. I needed his protection, like a little girl who ran to her big brother for protection.

But I knew; what I felt towards Roxas wasn't like I would feel towards a brother.

However, I still refused to accept it. I was too hurt by Riku's words and I couldn't think of dating some other guy right now. I needed Roxas— the _friend_.

I sobbed loudly into his chest for some minutes, but I felt this gesture of chill when he wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me even closer to him—something that I thought that wasn't even possible—and hid his face in my hair. He stroked my short hair lightly and hugged me with one hand. He moved his mouth to my ear, and I shivered. He softly kissed my temple and whispered 'shh...'

I stopped crying when I heard his calming voice, which made me feel relaxed. It was not like Riku's tone that made me try my best not to shake. It was gentle, honest, caring… And loving.

"Xi…" He whispered and I winced by the name. "Xion…"

He continued to call my name for some minutes, and it felt _right_. I was still sniffing into his body, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Who was the one to do this to you?"

"R-Roxas…" I hiccupped and wrapped my arms around his neck, still pressing my face to his body.

"Tell me who the one to hurt you _is_!" He demanded. I jumped and my heart raced by the tone of his voice. He appeared to notice it, so he gasped and stroked my hair again. "I am sorry."

I let go of him and took a step back. I shook my head to mention him that it was okay. "I just… Oh, Roxas." I hid my face in my hands and the tears rolled down again, replacing the memory of the previous ones.

He came closer to me and hugged me again. Slowly, he managed to get my hands from my face, so I revealed my puffy, red eyes to his blue, perfect ones.

"Xion, _please_! You know that I care for you, and I will do _anything_ for you." He pleaded.

"I just… I am just a _toy_, Roxas, a _toy_!"

Roxas opened his mouth. "Who… Who said this to you?"

I sniffed and turned around, so that my back was facing him. "I just know."

"Xion…" He hugged me from behind, just like Riku did and the tears continued to roll.

**X~x~X**

Roxas and I entered my house. His arm was wrapped around me the moment we entered, and I could see my mom raising her eyebrows from the kitchen. She must have been confused. But I cared less.

Roxas and I entered my room and I sat on my bed, while he took my chair and placed it next to the bed. I pulled my legs closer to my chest and stared into his aqua eyes.

"Now… Start from the beginning."

So I did. I had told him about my ex-boyfriend and the green letter. With a red face, I even told him how I accepted to go and talk with him, and how we were about to kiss, though he did what he did to me before. I had told him about the slap, and how he treated me as nothing but a toy. A toy to play and break. I was not saying that it was Riku, because I knew that if Roxas would find out who it is, he will probably go and face him. And it wouldn't end up pretty; for Riku, that is.

I am not sure why, but in my eyes Roxas seemed stronger than Riku, even though Riku was more muscular. I was pretty sure that Roxas had this hidden force in him that he had probably learnt from his friends back at Twilight Town.

When I finished telling my story, Roxas' eyes were narrowed and his teeth were clenched together. I looked down at his arm and saw that he rolled his fingers to a ball.

"Do you want to punch my pillow?" I joked and sniffed at the same time.

Roxas—surprisingly—smiled. "I would more like to punch that guy. Who is he?"

"Pfft, like I would tell…" I rolled my eyes.

"Xion, you are not a toy, you know that, right?"

I rested my chin on the palm of my hand. "He proved it—"

"He proved nothing!" Roxas jumped from the chair in a defensive pose. "He proved that he is a jerk that treats girls as objects! He proved nothing about you! In fact—he did; he only helped me to confirm what I had always thought. That you are a great and a smart girl, Xion."

I bit my lip. "Do you really mean it, or are you just saying it so that I would feel better?"

Roxas shook his head and sat next to me on my bed. "I mean it; I mean _every_ word of it. Gosh, I knew that you are an awesome girl, but… You just proved that you are more than that. Look, you mentioned that he is popular, right? So every girl would accept to be played in his hands, just to be with him. But you… You are different. You don't care for that kind of stuff. You won't let anyone treat you less than what you deserve, and trust me—you deserve a _lot_!"

I looked down into my lap as I searched for the right words. "No I don't."

"Xion." He placed his finger under my chin and lifted my face up. "Trust me, you do."

I swear that time seemed to freeze. It felt like only I was in his heart, and only he was in mine. I got shivers down my spine, just due of his touch, which was a pleasant touch, yet shocking. Literally. I bit my lips at the sight of his. He seemed to notice my desire, so he smiled gently.

"Trust me. You are the coolest girl I know. Xion?"

"Yes?"

"I am glad I got to meet you."

"Really, Roxas?" I asked softly like a little child. When he nodded, I smiled. "I am glad I got to meet you, too."

Roxas flushed and scratched the back of his head. I guess that he lost all his 'coolness' and his shy side got a better hold on him. "Oh, uh… Thanks…"

I giggled. "What's the matter?"

He looked at me, heard my laughter, and smiled. He shook his head and his spikes turned to every direction. His hair looked so weird so I had to laugh.

"You look so funny!"

Roxas tried to look up at his hair, but failed. So I had to laugh harder.

"Hey! Do not laugh!" He pretended to pout childishly. "How would you feel if I would laugh at your—"

I had enough hearing him so I jumped on him and gave him a big hug. I guess I caught him by surprise, but he soon hugged back.

"Thank you, Roxas. For everything."

**X~x~X**

Another two weeks had passed since I told Roxas my failed love-story. If you had thought we spent a lot of time together before, you should have seen us now; we were inseparable. When someone had brought his name at the halls, my name was mentioned too, and vice versa. I didn't think we were _dating_, but rumors were going around the school. And even _I_ started to believe them.

Two days from then, Valentine's Day was about to arrive and I was dateless. I didn't care. I knew that Sora and Kairi wouldn't go on a date alone; they preferred to be in a group. Last year it was they, Riku and me. But now that Riku was gone, I couldn't interrupt them. Therefore, I had Roxas. Only thinking of him made me smile.

"You are coming with us to the mall this Thursday, right?" Kairi inquired for what seemed the 15th time this week.

I playfully rolled my eyes. "Yes, Kairi, _yes_."

"Fine, sorry for making sure!" She pouted and crossed her arms.

I snorted. "Whatever."

"Awesome. So it's only you, me, Sora and Roxas. Great, double date!" She clapped excitedly.

I raised my eyebrow and licked my ice-cream. "Roxas and I are not dating, Kai."

We were in Kairi's house, sitting on the couch and enjoying ice-cream. Kairi liked vanilla with strawberry, while for me—chocolate was always the best flavor. We had decided to just hang out together at Valentine's Day, all four of us as one group. I asked Kairi if it was okay with her, and she said that definitely, because she and Sora—as much as they loved each other—would be more comfortable if Roxas and I would join them.

We were then in front of the TV, zipping through the channels in boredom while Kairi tried to find an interesting movie to watch. I felt something melts on my hand and realized that my ice cream was melting. I quickly licked my hand and the top of the ice cream, to prevent it from melting some more.

"Oh, sure you aren't." Kairi looked at me and winked.

"What? We are not!" I said in a defensive tone.

"Pfft, like I don't notice how you stare at him."

I blushed and started to heat up. "H-How _do_ I stare at him?"

Kairi looked at me and smirked. "As if he is… Your charming prince!" She grabbed a pillow that was lying next to her and threw at me.

"Ugh! Kairi!" I grabbed the same pillow, and with my free hand I threw it back at her.

We both laughed and declared it as a pillow-fight!

**X~x~X**

Thursday evening had arrived and I was in my room, examining the clothes I planned to wear that night. It was a yellow baggy shirt and a brown skirt, which luckily wasn't too short. I changed my clothes and looked at the way I look in front of the mirror. Something seemed wrong. I didn't like the skirt that much; it felt as if I was exposing too much.

I was never the girly-girl type that wears skirts and applies make-up all the time. I did so only on rare occasions. I liked to wear pants more; it was more comfortable, and it was just my style.

I got closer to the mirror and gasped when I noticed that my baggy shirt was dirty. It had this red mark on it—right in the middle—so it was easily visible! I got frustrated because I had planned to wear it the night before, and everything seemed to be organized, but then the skirt seemed wrong and the shirt was a mess, and…

I sighed. Why did I care so much? It is not the first time I am going out, so why was I making such a big deal from that evening? Because of Valentine's Day? I don't know. I never cared so much; that day was all cliché and sticky, and I hated it. It seemed better when I had a boyfriend, though.

_Who knows, Xion, maybe you will find yourself a boyfriend tonight._ I thought and smirked in front of the mirror. _Okay, I did not just think of that!_

I shook my head, opened my closet, and looked for a new outfit. I pulled out a purple tunic and black tights. My two favorite colors!

I quickly changed my clothes because Kairi had sent me a message saying that they were on their way. I looked at the mirror again and smiled; it was perfect. It was simple, yet pretty, and I felt completely comfortable in it. I sprayed a perfume on me, tapped it lightly on my neck, and rubbed my wrists against each other with it. I put on a lip-gloss and a light purple eye shadow. I figured that it was enough. I heard Sora's car honking so I quickly grabbed a black leather jacket, and came down.

"Have fun, sweetie!"

"Thanks, mom! Love you!" I yelled and closed the door after me. It was quite chill but I knew that it is hot is Sora's car, so I didn't wear the jacket yet. I got into the car and sat at the back next to Kairi.

"Hey, guys." I smiled and closed the car's door.

"What's up?" Kairi hugged me.

"Ready to go, girls?" Sora looked at us from his car-mirror.

"Ahem." Roxas—who sat next to Sora—cleared his throat. "_Girls_?"

"Hehe… And a guy." Sora laughed nervously, and Kairi and I giggled.

**X~x~X**

We were all just hanging out at the mall. The building grabbed the Valentine's Day agenda, so everything was designed by the theme; hearts shaped balloon were everywhere, bands have played soft music, and candies filled the place. Everything was nice and quiet. Kairi wanted for us to stop next to a woman who sang a song I did not recognize. But it was pretty.

"Aww, this is so pretty!" Kairi hugged Sora. Sora hugged her back and whispered something in her ear, and as a result, she giggled.

They were still hugging and Roxas and I were practically left alone. We looked at each other and smiled awkwardly, as our friends were hugging and whispering _oh so funny_ things into each other's ears.

"Xion?"

"Yes?" I smiled at Roxas. He did not return the smile. Instead, he just scratched his head nervously, so I was worried. "What's the matter?"

Roxas looked me in the eyes and sighed. "You remember why I came here?"

"Yes. Kairi and Sora wanted for all of us to spend Valentine's Day together." I answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Roxas shook his head quickly. "No, no, no. I meant, _here_."

I cocked my head to the side. "What?"

"Hey, guys! Let's go to eat some pizza!" Kairi called.

Sora and Kairi were heading to the Pizza Palace, our favorite place to eat pizza at. Roxas and I were still standing still. We were looking deep into each other's eyes and I searched in his some answers. Roxas smiled, but only slightly, and started to walk towards Sora and Kairi.

"Wait!" I called after him. He stood still and turned around to face me. "What did you mean? I… Don't understand."

Roxas sighed and licked his dry lips. "We'll talk later. For now, let's catch up on them." He said and continued to walk.

We took places at Pizza Palace, which was quite packed, and ordered our pizzas. Kairi's favorite topping was mushrooms, while Roxas and Sora were fans of olives. For me, corn was_ the best_! I loved it ever since I was a kid, but that night I didn't feel like eating. Roxas probably felt the same way, because he was barely touching his pizza. Every now and then we would have caught one of us glancing at the other. I knew that something had bothered him, but he refused to tell me what.

After we finished eating, we got up and just walked around the mall. Kairi and Sora were again at the front, since Kairi had jumped from one shop to the other like a hyperactive girl, and Roxas and I were dragging ourselves after them. We kept an awkward distance between us, so I knew that something was wrong. But I couldn't take it any longer so I held Roxas' hand. He froze and looked down; as if he was ashamed by something bad he has done.

"Roxas! What happened?" I asked worriedly.

"Nothing, it's just that…" His voice trailed off.

I knew I had to do something, so I hugged him. He instantly hugged me back and ruffled my hair.

"Come on… You can tell me. Now it is my turn to help you."

"I came here to visit, you know… It's not like I _live_ here."

I widened my eyes, and only then I understood what he meant earlier. "B-But… I thought you would decide whether to stay here or not!"

I looked up at him and saw that he was nodding his head. "Yes… And I decided that it is time for me to go back home."

I couldn't believe that he had actually meant it. He had the opportunity to decide whether to stay or not, and he chooses to _leave_?

I stepped back and looked at him with shock. "You… You are leaving? Back to Twilight Town?" I raised my voice, but I didn't care. "You are actually _leaving_?"

Roxas looked down and nodded ashamedly. "I am sorry…" His voice cracked.

"Sorry? What for? Oh, for leaving me here? Pfft, don't be!" I said sarcastically.

"Xion… Please, just listen—"

"Listen to what? Huh? To _what_, Roxas? You can stay here; why are you leaving?"

"Xi-Xi…" He moved closer to me and reached for my face. It killed me to hear his nickname for me. How could he say it while I am mad at him?

I slapped his hand away. "Do not call me 'Xi-Xi' and do not touch me right now."

Roxas slowly nodded in agreement. "Okay, but just listen…"

"No!" I screamed and caught some people's attention. But they were 'busy' people, so they quickly lost interest and moved on. Kairi and Sora heard my voice and looked at me. I saw Sora whisper something to Kairi. She shaped her mouth as the letter 'O' and they both walked away. What? What had he told her that she can understand and I cannot?

"Xion… My mother is _sick_."

I instantly calmed down. I wasn't feeling mad anymore, I was feeling _stupid_. My mind was too blank so I couldn't think much. I just felt as an ignorant fool who can't listen to the people around her.

"Your… Mother?" I asked blankly as if I was a zombie.

Roxas nodded sadly. "And as her only son, I… I need to be there for her. And 'there' is not here, you know…"

I smacked my forehead in shame. "Gosh, Roxas… I am sorry… I am _so_ sorry!"

"No, don't be…"

"How can I not? Your mother is sick and I was yelling at you and—" I covered my desperate face, attempting not to cry. Roxas ran to me and hugged me tight.

"Hey, what are you crying about?"

"B-Because I feel so stupid…" I sniffed.

Roxas chuckled. "Don't. Really, you shouldn't."

"Roxy… I am so sorry." I looked up at him. "I didn't mean to… It's just that you became part of my life, and I can't imagine it without you…"

"I know, Xi-Xi, I know. I don't know how I will survive it without you, either. In fact, I don't understand how I managed to live seventeen years without you." He grinned.

I smiled and sobbed at the same time. "Oh… Thank you."

He smiled back and wiped the tears away with his thumb. "Come on, I hate seeing you cry…"

"I am sorry."

Roxas shook his head. "Stop apologizing so much!" I knew that he yelled because he was joking, and not because he was mad. Therefore, I laughed.

"Okay, okay!" I held my hands up in defeat. Then I sighed because I knew that we wouldn't be able to laugh this way again. He would soon leave and we won't see each other anymore. "But… I will miss you…"

"I will miss you, too—"

"No, Roxas! I will _miss_ you! As in—a _lot_! Roxas…" I knew that it is now or never. I couldn't hide my feelings anymore. Moreover, if I would just let him leave without knowing, I knew that I would regret it my entire life. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "I like you."

I waited. I didn't know what for, but I waited. Maybe for a shocked expression, maybe for a rejection, or maybe for an awkward look. I didn't have to wait so long, though, because only what seemed like three seconds after my confession, I felt Roxas' lips on mine.

I quickly opened my eyes and saw his red face in front of mine. He quickly broke away and blushed harder. "Xion… I like you too. I really do. I liked you since the first moment I saw you, and spending time with you was making me happy… I like you."

I looked at him in awe. He looked so cute… He was always trying to keep his tough appearance next to me, but I knew that he was a shy person. He confessed his feelings to me! I smiled widely.

"Roxy…" I hugged him again. I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed his cheek. I was happy and sad at the same time. It was a wonderful thing to know that you love and being loved, but knowing that we won't see each other was horrible. "Where are you leaving?"

"Tonight."

"T-Tonight? And you never told me?"

"I was afraid… I am not good with saying goodbye."

"But… Now we won't have time to be with each other…" I pouted. He was leaving. He was leaving that night, and I wouldn't be able to be with him.

"Xion, you know that you would see me again, right?"

"Oh, yeah? When?" I refused to believe his words.

"I will come to visit. And you can come to Twilight Town, too. It is not so far away from here, you know…"

"I know, but… It just wouldn't be the same…" I sighed in disappointment.

"Are you mad?" He asked. He just looked so adorable. Like a little boy who was questioning his mother whether or not she was mad about something forbidden he had committed.

I smiled warmly and shook my head. "No. You need to take care of her, I understand. Roxas, you are a good son."

He blushed and scratched the back of his head… He really _did_ act like Sora. "Hehe, thank you…"

"So… Our last night together, huh? Valentine's Day? Hello, cliché!" I laughed and he joined to the laughter with me.

"Xi-Xi…"

"Yes, Roxas?"

"Love you."

**X~x~X**

Roxas had left back to his hometown. I was sad but I knew that we had no choice. He was the noblest person ever for going back to take care of his mother. Only showed that he received good education. And to think that I had thought at first that he is a gang member. I laughed at the thought.

Thinking back to the first day I heard about Roxas makes me laugh about every thought I had. Who knew that the mysterious cousin, who popped out of nowhere one bright day, would end up being my boyfriend?

That is right, my boyfriend. It was hard to keep the relationship from far apart, but it was better than nothing. He came to visit every two weeks or so, and we always spent the weekend together. He said that his mother was feeling a lot better, so he could come and visit more often, and maybe he would even move here completely one day. Either way, I will always wait for him.

I could trust his word. I knew that he is a good boyfriend and I wasn't afraid to fall in his arms, because I knew that he would catch me. He was not like Riku who saw me as a toy. Roxas was honest, noble and trustable. Thinking about it—I have the perfect boyfriend! It seems like he was pulled out from some cheesy romantic film. However, Roxas and I have our downs as well, the point is that we manage to love each other and get over them no matter what; hey, nobody is perfect.

While he is out of town, we stay up all night and talk with each other on the phone. He told me that his mother's healthy state gets better, and I even got to speak to her sometimes! She was very nice and I think that she liked me as well. She said that she is hoping to meet me soon, and I said that I was too. I have this feeling that once school year is over, I would go visit Twilight Town and her and I would become good friends!

Roxas always treated me when he arrived at Destiny Islands. He brought me presents and gifts. I told him that he does not have to, and that his kisses are million times better than all those materialistic things. But of course—Roxas is Roxas. And that is exactly why I love him! He would also send me many letters while we couldn't talk with each other. I like his letters; it makes me feel closer to him, because I can scent the smell of his body through them.

For the first time ever, I was in love!

No, what was with Riku was not true love; it was a stupid crush of mine, which I regret. But thinking again, maybe Roxas and I would have never ended up together if it wasn't for him. After all, it was the all drama thing I had with Riku at the science lab that brought Roxas and me closer to each other.

Oh, and mentioning Riku; he and Selphie broke up. He found out that she was cheating on him with some Tidus guy. He was furious and they shared a dramatic scene at the middle of the hallway. They were yelling at each other and everything. I am pretty sure that he called her by some not-so pleasant names.

I never bothered to stop and listen what they had to say to each other, since I had better things to do. But I do admit that I was snickering while I passed next to them.

I thought I was cursed to never feel love, but destiny tricked me and sent Roxas to my way. No wonder that it is called Destiny Islands, huh?

Speaking of Destiny Islands, I never mentioned our national symbol; Paopu Fruit. Yes, the same fruit that by the legend says that if two people would share it—their destinies become intertwined, and that they'll remain part of each other's lives no matter what.

Roxas and I didn't get to share it, yet. I was never the person to believe in legends, but I made him promise me that during his next visit, we'll share one Just in case.

After all those months I was envious at Kairi for having an amazing guy like Sora, I am finally happy. Because I have my own version of Sora!

Well, that was my little story. And now, if you will excuse me, my love is about to arrive at Destiny Islands and someone needs to go and meet him.

* * *

**Done!**

**I hope you all like it, because though it wasn't planned and I just wrote what came to my mind, I still like it. :)**

**Happy Valentine's Day! To all the lovers- have fun! And if you don't have a special someone to spend the day with, just go out with friends and have a blast! :D**

**Thank you for reading! ^_^**


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